( 62 ) 



THE ALDER. 



BETULA ALNUS. Pl.iQ. 



Fructification. As the birch, except that 



the female catkin is rounder, like a 



fir-cone. 

 Specific cbaraffer. Fruit-ftalks branched. 



Leaves nearly circular, ferrated, 



clammy. 



THIS tree is alfo a lover of moifture, and 

 flourifhes in boggy lituations, and by the 

 lide of rivers. It may be reared to a large 

 tree ; in which ftate it mud have been, in 

 order to have afforded the firft material for 

 boats or canoes by its hollowed trunk, as 

 mentioned by Virgil in his Georgics. With 

 us it is more commonly planted for coppice- 

 wood, to be cut down every ninth or tenth 

 year for poles. The wood is chiefly va- 

 luable 



